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• The Three Seashells applied to UI Design

  I frequently refer to "the three seashells" approach in user interaction design. Here's a video clip for the origin of the term. Watch the person with the headset mock the unknowing Sylvester Stallone. Have you ever opened a high-tech gadget and didn... Posted Jan 24 2013, 10:46 AM by ChuckOp with | with no comments Filed under: UI

• The Great Shutdown Debate on Windows 8

  Since September, I've been reading the many complaints regarding the process used to shut down a computer running Windows 8. The general theme is that's hard to find, with some folks suggesting that this is emblematic of Windows 8 being difficult to use... Posted Mar 10 2012, 12:32 PM by ChuckOp with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, Tip, UI, Windows 7, Keyboard, Windows 8

• Balloon Timeout and Notification Duration

  Today I was reading a new post on one of my favorite blogs, The Old New Thing by longtime Microsoft developer Raymond Chen. I got to know Raymond in the waning days of 1994 when we were working on "Chicago", the codename for what would become Windows... Posted May 20 2011, 02:49 PM by ChuckOp with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, Accessibility, UI, Programming

• Apple Mouse Marks Mighty Change

  Various pundits want to proclaim Apple's new multi-button mouse as a major departure and admission that clean design (in the form of a one-button can't be screwed up manner) isn't always acceptable to the consumer. Recall that the original Macintosh keyboard... Posted Aug 17 2005, 10:28 AM by ChuckOp with | with no comments Filed under: Accessibility, UI

• Create New Folder in Explorer – why not easier?

  Since I started working with the Windows Explorer shell in Windows 95, I’ve often wondered why there isn’t a “New Folder” toolbar button. Today, I was organizing some files and dragging-and-dropping them to other folders and occasionally, in the middle... Posted Mar 23 2005, 10:46 AM by ChuckOp with | with 18 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, UI, Rants

• Handy Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

  Here are keyboard shortcuts for use with Internet Explorer. Most work on all versions since 4.01. Not an exhustive list, just those that I use often. Space This scrolls downward a page at a time. Note that oftentimes a form control or a ActiveX object... Posted May 06 2004, 01:42 PM by ChuckOp with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, Tip, UI

• Copy message box text to the clipboard

  Ever get a error message and need to write it down? Particular one with an obscure error number like 0x80040e09? Starting with Windows 2000, you can copy the entire contents of a message box to the clipboard by pressing CTRL+C . Software developers often... Posted Apr 08 2004, 05:53 PM by ChuckOp with | with 60 comment(s) Filed under: Accessibility, Tip, UI

• History of keyboard access in Windows

  This is a response to a posting on the Windows Off-Topic Tech mailing list concerning keyboard access to the taskbar... If you go back in time far enough, it doesn't. When the NT4 team first had the 95 shell forced on them, keyboard access to the systray... Posted Feb 02 2004, 08:07 PM by ChuckOp with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, Accessibility, UI

• More taskbar/tray keyboard access

  Apparently, the shell team at Microsoft threw in another keyboard shortcut to get focus to the tray notification area. This is the section of the taskbar that contains the clock and various status icons. For example, if updates are available on Windows... Posted Feb 02 2004, 06:36 PM by ChuckOp with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Microsoft, Tip, UI

• Keyboard access to the Windows taskbar

  [Edited 2011-03-31 to fix a typo. Also note that WIN+T in Windows Vista/Windows 7 will set focus to the first taskbar item] [Edited 2004-01-29 to fix mistakes] Windows 95 introduced the “taskbar.” Designed to remind users what programs were running and... Posted Jan 28 2004, 01:40 AM by ChuckOp with | with 13 comment(s) Filed under: Accessibility, Tip, UI, Keyboard